


By My Side

by jellyfish1816



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: M/M, fluff is my brand by now, this is just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-18 05:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18242969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellyfish1816/pseuds/jellyfish1816
Summary: Shin Hoseok tries out burglary as a living and Son Hyunwoo is rich.





	By My Side

**Author's Note:**

> based on [this twitter thread](https://twitter.com/forshowho/status/1110288239988891648).

Hoseok's life has never been easy. His family had always just scrape by. He and his brother could never get the same designer clothes that their friends have - theirs are always hand-me-downs from some charitable relatives. Or go vacationing to Hawaii or Disneyland with his family. These are things that he'd always just dreamt of. Even going into college was a financial struggle, but Hoseok was determined to finish his education. He saw his mother work her ass off managing a small cafe just to send her two kids to school, and Hoseok did not want that going to waste. He studied hard and got multiple scholarships, making paying tuition a little easier on his pocket.

But he still felt useless. Like his whole life, he had been leeching off his mother. He wanted to give her great things in return, anything that his mother wanted. And he really tried hard. He also stopped relying on her for his living expenses and tuition. Hoseok wanted his mother to just focus on living happily. He worked part-time jobs, lots of them. He was a delivery boy, a busboy, a cashier. Hoseok had done it all, but it was never enough. Not until he met Minhyuk and Kihyun. He'd seen them around campus - they even had a couple of classes together, but Hoseok never really saw them as the type that he could be friends with. The pair approached him one day, during his part-time job waiting at a rowdy izakaya - full of drunken white-collar workers just looking to unwind after their nine to five jobs. Hoseok can never forget that day. The smaller of the two - Kihyun - was the one to wave him over to their table, but it was Minhyuk who did most of the talking, "Do you work here regularly?"

Hoseok shook his head, "This is just a part-time job. I do it so I don't have to rely on my mom for living expenses."

"Wow. What a good son. How would you like to work a job that's based on commission?" Minhyuk nodded sympathetically as he directed a glance towards Kihyun, double-checking if the other is agreeing with what he was saying.

"Commission?" That piqued Hoseok's curiosity. He had always heard about jobs that offer commission and how it is often better than just a minimum wage job. But then why are these two here? We've never talked in any of our classes, so why now.

"Shin Hoseok! I'm not paying you to just chat with your friends!" The owner-slash-chef shouted amidst all the clamoring around him. It was a Friday night so their joint was extra busy.

"You're barely paying me to begin with," Hoseok mumbled through gritted teeth, then he gave a solid response. "Right! I'm sorry! I'll be there right away."

Before Hoseok could leave, Kihyun grabbed him by the wrist, "Hey. Think about what we said okay? Here's my number." Hoseok took the card and put it in his back pocket, the card was forgotten for the rest of the night.

Hoseok buried the conversation that day, deep inside his subconscious, by working a ten-hour shift. He didn't really have much time to worry about other things, like two suspicious people offering him a job. All he needed to do was work diligently and it'll pay off. Or not. That night, he opened his mobile banking on his way home to his apartment, feet dragging and body limp. It was the second Friday of the month so it was payday and Hoseok was very much anticipating it. That was until he saw the direct deposit. Not even his countless overtimes could help him live comfortably. Forget comfortably, he couldn't even fucking _live_ with this pay. Hoseok sighed and looked up, he was almost on the verge of tears. He wondered to himself when he'll be able to attain the life that he dreamt of. Getting to buy whatever he wanted, no fear that he'll be kicked out of his apartment, an abundance of food. The things that should be a staple for every human being.

Then Hoseok remembered the card; the one that the brunette gave him. He patted around both his back pockets, feeling around until he found the card. It was well-made and simplistic. It made Hoseok feel like what the two of them offered was a legit job. But Hoseok felt the conniving energy between the two of them, those two were definitely up to no good. But Hoseok was also desperate, and desperation trumps over everything, even common sense. 

* * *

 It was already 3:30 a.m. when Hoseok got back to his apartment. He'd wanted to sleep so badly, but he wanted to try calling the number now. He knew that it was already really late for the phone call, but he just wanted to know if this was a scam or not. He grabbed his phone from his jacket's pocket, and he started dialing the number, putting it on speakerphone. It actually started ringing, and Hoseok's heart started pounding. _Oh god, now what._ He never really thought about what he would say if they answer.  _Ring._ Should he accept the job? _Ring._ Maybe he should just accuse the two of being scammers.  _What a stupid fucking idea, Shin Hoseok._ He talked to himself while he waited to see  _if_ someone would pick up. And then he hears laughter and screaming on the other line, followed by a prolonged "hellooooo?"

Hoseok took a deep breath, "Hello? You gave me your business card at the izakaya."

The man on the other line replied with a surprised sound, "Mmm! Ye-yeah! This is Kihyun. That was m- LEE MINHYUK! SHUT THE- SHUT THE FUCK UP!" And then there was silence, followed by the man clearing his throat, "So. Anyways, are you interested?"

"Uh. Uhm. I'm not entirely sure yet," Hoseok was still full of hesitation.

"Okay so..." Kihyun was munching on something. Hoseok guessed that he was having a drink with Minhyuk, "how about we meet up tomorrow? Are you free? I- _We'll_ explain everything then."

"Is it okay to meet at around 4 p.m.? I can meet you after work."

* * *

Hoseok's life did a complete 180 after that meeting. Suddenly, he was living lavishly. He was paying his rent two months in advance, paying his tuition had never been easier, and he was able to send his mother a monthly allowance. His mother doubted where he got the money from at first, but Hoseok told her that he got a new job as a sales representative and his commissions are big. Obviously, Hoseok felt guilty - he never lied to his mother - but a voice inside his head also told him that this was all for her.

His chemistry with Minhyuk and Kihyun was undeniable. All of their jobs were clean - no fingerprints, no signs of entry, nothing to trace back the burglaries to them. Their team won't survive without Kihyun, he surveils the area for a week - two if it's a higher profile target - to ensure the target's routine. What time do they leave the house? What time do they come back? Are they home during the weekends? Out of the three, Minhyuk had the most cunning brain. He would go up to the target's door, pretend that he's conducting a survey or a census, and actually get inside the house. He was somehow always able to enter the house, people could never reject him. Hoseok was the one to execute the job. He was nimble from all the years of practicing dance, and he had the composure and the drive to get the job done. With this arrangement, their team was unstoppable.

Today's job is the most ambitious yet. Kihyun surveilled the area for a whole month instead of the usual week. Minhyuk had a little bit of trouble scanning the inside of the house, but he was successful nevertheless. The target practically lives in a mansion. He owns two luxury cars, but only ever takes the Mercedes-Benz. He's loaded but he doesn't seem to have any helpers around the house. Minhyuk didn't find any housekeepers or maids when he was finally let in as a "census taker". The trio concluded that the loot is bigger than the risk, and decided to go ahead with the job.

Hoseok's heart is pounding. This is their biggest job yet. He's confident in his skills, he's done this enough times already but something about today is making him nervous. Maybe it's the fact that the house is gigantic, or maybe it's because besides the fact that he drives luxury cars and lives alone, they never really found anything else about the target. Hoseok takes a deep breath, trying to slow down his heartbeat. He's waiting for Kihyun to give him the all-clear before he sneaks into the house. Minhyuk's on the other end of the street as a look-out, just in case the target goes home earlier than expected.

"Hoseok-hyung," Kihyun's talking to him through an earpiece, "the target has left the building."

Hoseok gulps, "Copy." He jumps a couple of times to shake off the nerves, "Okay, Hoseok. It's showtime."

He makes a beeline for the window to what looked like an office. It was easy to open, the type of lock that can be undone just by wiggling the window pane relentlessly - Hoseok has learned to do this as quietly as possible. After a few more minutes, Hoseok hears a  _click._ He slowly opens the window and hops over to the office. It's well-decorated. Countless of shelves full of books from Korean literature to foreign novels to fashion lookbooks. The room is basically a library and Hoseok is fascinated. He shakes his head, focusing on the task at hand. He opens the door to the hallway and sneaks into the second floor. Minhyuk had said that there are lots of rooms, but at the end of the hall is where the master's bedroom is located.

* * *

Hoseok turns the knob, trying his luck to see if it's already unlocked. And boy, is he lucky. He creeps into the room, making sure not to make any noise. He's headed for the walk-in closet when he notices two pairs of eyes watching him. Hoseok sucks in air to stop himself from yelping.  _Fucking Lee Minhyuk. He didn't say anything about cats._ He looks around the vast room to check for more things that Minhyuk failed to mention, and then he sees the figure on the bed. And his heart skips a beat.

The man lying on the bed is sleeping soundly, one arm folded under his head and the other lay flat on his stomach - under his shirt. He's wearing all white - matching his pillows and duvet cover, making it look like he's just posing for a photo shoot. Hoseok leans in for a closer look at the man. His skin is smooth and naturally bronzed, the sunlight hitting from the outside giving him a natural glow. He has a great physique, one that was God-given and is maintained by going to the gym. His lips are small, but they're extremely plump and extremely red - as if it's tempting Hoseok to touch. He grins and lets out a quiet laugh when he notices how the man's brows are slightly furrowed, almost like he's having a terrible dream.

Hoseok examines the room once again. He notices that most of the room is white, even the pots holding the succulents lined up along the windows are white. Everything also looks expensive. Hoseok recognizes some of the art pieces hanging on the wall, and he knows for a fact that they're extremely expensive. Almost everything in the room is white, except for one thing. One of the cats is orange and it's slowly approaching Hoseok. The feline purrs and snuggles Hoseok's leg. It had both eyes half-open and it's wrapping its tail around Hoseok's leg. Hoseok crouches down, completely enthralled by the creature. As a child, he's always wanted a pet, but his mother could never give them one because of how expensive it is to own a pet. He also can't get one now because his apartment has a strict no pets policy.

He brushes back the cat's fur, and it signals its approval by giving Hoseok small meows. Hoseok coos at the cat, "You are so cute. What's your name, you little baby?"

"Burger," a deep, scratchy voice answers Hoseok, "his name's Burger."

Hoseok's heart drops to the floor.  _Fuck. Shit. Well, it's over._ Hoseok slowly turns around, his arms still cradling the cat - who is apparently named Burger, and gives the man a small, "Hey."

"And that one over there," the man points at the other cat that welcomed Hoseok, pure white with long hair, "we call him Bingsu."

"A-ah...I see..." Hoseok nods, eyes wide with shock and confusion. Hoseok's thoughts are running wild.  _Why is he so calm? Does he not know that I'm trying to steal shit from him?_

"So? Found anything that you'd like in my room?" The man groans as he slowly sat up from the bed, and then Hoseok notices the cast on the man's right leg.

"I-I was told that it was all-clear. The owner left the house," there's a tremble in Hoseok's voice.

The man raises one of his brows, "Hm? Ah. Guy with dimples? Probably my cousin. Injured my leg pretty badly and he's been keeping me alive for almost two months now," he points at the cast and gives Hoseok a smirk.

_Fuck. This was one big shitshow._ Hoseok clears his throat, "Are you gonna call the cops?"

"Should I?" He cocks his head, the smirk still visible on his face.

"How are you so calm?" Hoseok's starting to feel annoyed by how nonchalant his supposed target is.

The other man just shrugs, "Burger would’ve clawed you to shreds already if she sensed you were a bad person. Trust me."

"S-so are you just gonna let me go?" Hoseok is now unconsciously petting Burger, the cat just letting out purrs to indicate that she's pleased.

"Sure, if that's what you want. On one condition," the man beckons Hoseok to come closer and he whispers into Hoseok's ear, "your name and phone number."

Hoseok jumps away, covering his ear with both hands. How can this man just easily ask for his phone number? He was trying to rob him blind for god's sake! Hoseok's completely speechless, and also extremely red in the face, "A-are you serious?"

"Completely. My name's Hyunwoo, if that makes you feel better about sharing yours," the man - Hyunwoo, is completely relaxed. Like his body doesn't feel any sense of panic. "So? What's the decision on the name and number? Jooheon's gonna be back from the vet soon."

_Jooheon's probably the cousin. Who knows if he's as defenseless as this guy._ "Fine...Fine! Give me your phone." Hyunwoo grabs his phone from his bedside table. He unlocks it and gives it to Hoseok right away. Hoseok types in his phone number and puts  _Shin Hoseok_ as his contact name. He hurriedly gives it back to the other man, and Hyunwoo's face lights up.

"Shin Hoseok...Hoseok." Hyunwoo laughs to himself.

"I'm gon-I'm gonna go now."

"Sure. Oh, please make sure to use the front door. We don't want you injuring yourself or anything like that." Hyunwoo gives him a smile and Hoseok bolts it out of the room, startling Burger and Bingsu on the way out.

Hoseok dashes out through the front door and he hears Kihyun in his ear once again, "Hyung! What the hell? Why are you leaving through the front door?"

"I got caught, Kihyunnie," Hoseok's short of breath, still unable to comprehend what just happened, "and I think our target was hitting on me."

* * *

Just a day after the failed job, Hoseok received a phone call from Hyunwoo. The guy's inviting him to his house again, and Hoseok is baffled. "Since I really can't go out yet, how about you just visit me instead?" is what Hyunwoo said over the phone. And Hoseok, against his better judgment, is actually going. He stopped by the grocery store to buy some snacks and fruits as a present. He knows the guy probably has a year's worth of snacks in his pantry, but Hoseok has always been one to follow courtesy. For some reason, Hoseok's instincts told him to go through the same window that he first entered through. He found a cat basking in the sunlight in the office, but it wasn't Burger or Bingsu.  _Just how many cats does this guy own?_  Hoseok doesn't bother sneaking around. There's no point when Hyunwoo's expecting him as a guest. He goes straight to the master's bedroom and knocks on the door.

"Come in," Hoseok peeks his head in between the cracks of the door, a little cautious of Hyunwoo. He just laughs at Hoseok, "Hey. You being all careful around me hurts you know. You were the one that wanted to rob me."

Hoseok lowers his head and shuffles into the room, sitting at the foot of Hyunwoo's bed. He aggressively shoves the plastic bag full of snacks in front of the other man's face, "For you."

"You shouldn't have," Hyunwoo smiles, his eyes filled with genuine happiness. Hoseok hears a soft meow and sees Burger curled up next to Hyunwoo. Bingsu jumps onto the bed and sits on Hoseok's lap. "Hey look at that, even Bingsu's warming up to you. Maybe he sensed that you're both cats. But your species is "burglar." Hyunwoo laughs at his own joke and Hoseok gives him a good smack on his thigh.

* * *

It didn't take long for Hyunwoo and Hoseok to grow closer. Once Hyunwoo's leg was healed, they were able to go out more. Sometimes, Hyunwoo would pick him up from classes and take him out for dinner. Other times, they would take spontaneous joyrides to the nearby beach. On the weekends, Hoseok would climb through the same window to visit Hyunwoo and the cats. At this point, it feels like they're co-parenting with how attached to him the cats have gotten. Burger, Bingsu, and Pudding - Hoseok's newly adopted children. They would cook dinner together and eat it together. Sometimes, Jooheon would be there to join them. Hoseok had never been this genuinely happy in years. He rarely got to see his mother; sure, he was close to Kihyun and Minhyuk but that's only because of the mutual secret that they have. Being with Hyunwoo gave Hoseok the feeling of family. It was like having a place to belong, and he swore to himself that he will cherish every moment.

Soon after that, Hoseok stopped taking on jobs with Kihyun and Minhyuk. He went back to waiting on tables and working three other part-time jobs. He apologized to his partners and Hoseok cried when he received warm hugs from the both of them, to show him that they understand. He'll forever be thankful to Kihyun and Minhyuk. Because of them, he experienced living a comfortable life, even if it was just for a while. Now, he's back to promissory notes and fear of eviction.

And then it did happen. He had to send money back home, causing him to miss two months worth of rent. And Hoseok's landlady was not a very forgiving one. He got back to all of his belongings collected in trash bags, outside of his apartment. Hoseok sighed. He really wanted to cry but he didn't want to look even more pathetic than he already was. He didn't know where to go. He wasn't close enough to Kihyun and Minhyuk to ask them for a big favor like letting him crash in their place. He couldn't go back home, he couldn't give more stress to his mother. Then Hyunwoo's face popped up in his mind - along with the cats' faces, and he wanted to cry again.

He hailed a taxi and gave the driver Hyunwoo's address. While on the way there, he practiced what to tell Hyunwoo. If he should make up some bullshit excuse or just tell the truth. Hoseok didn't want Hyunwoo to see him as someone who's just taking advantage of his kindness. The cab driver dropped him off right in front of Hyunwoo's house and his body had never felt heavier. He dragged his clothes to Hyunwoo's doorsteps and pressed the doorbell with a trembling finger.

Hoseok hears Hyunwoo shout "Be right there!" echoed by meowing. His heart is beating faster than ever. He still doesn't know what to tell Hyunwoo. He doesn't even know whether Hyunwoo would let him stay or not. But he's Hoseok's only hope. He hears footsteps approaching the door - both human and cat, and Hyunwoo opens it. "Seokkie. What? Didn't feel like taking the window today?" Hyunwoo chuckles.

"Hyunwoo..." Hoseok sniffles, he can't stop the tears. It just keeps on flowing.

Hyunwoo panics. He's never seen Hoseok like this before, and he has no desire to ever see him like this. "Hoseok. Hoseok, look at me," Hyunwoo cups Hoseok's face with his hands, brushing away his bangs and wiping away his tears. "What's wrong?"

"I got- I don't have a-a home anymore," Hoseok is talking in between sniffles. "I di-didn't know...where to go. So I-I came here."

Hyunwoo smiles a sympathetic smile and brings Hoseok in for an embrace, "Good thing you're here. The babies have been extra fuzzy today. Maybe they sensed that their other dad is coming."

"Stupid," Hoseok lets out a laugh, playfully slapping Hyunwoo's chest.

"How about we go inside? It's getting chilly." Hoseok nods and lets Hyunwoo lead him by the hand. Hyunwoo took two of his garbage bags while he carries the remaining one. The three cats trail behind them.

"Hyunwoo. Are you sure it's okay for me to stay here?"

"What are you talking about? Of course, it is. Now how about you have a warm bath while I cook dinner." Hyunwoo gives him a warm smile and goes to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

* * *

That night, Hyunwoo insisted that Hoseok sleeps in his room - the official excuse being that the guest room is not ready. Hyunwoo takes a quick shower and changes into his pajamas. All white, just like the time they first met. He leaves the door to the bedroom open, just in case any of the cats wanted to enter or leave. Bingsu's on top of Hoseok's stomach, lulled by his human's breathing. Burger's following Hyunwoo to bed, hopping onto it when Hyunwoo lied down next to Hoseok. The bed is soft and warm, something that Hoseok's not familiar with. It's extra warm with Hyunwoo beside him.

Hyunwoo slowly turns to face Hoseok's direction, "Comfortable?"

"Extremely," Hoseok nods, lips pressed together - making his cheeks extra puffy.

"Good," Hyunwoo says with his eyelids slowly losing to sleep. He puts one arm across Hoseok's chest to embrace him - earning a hiss from Bingsu before the cat moves to the foot of the bed, next to Burger. With the cat gone, he brings Hoseok closer to him and whispers softly, "Just remember, Seokkie, this is your home. You always have us to go back to. I'll always be by your side."

Hoseok is on the verge of tears again, "Yeah. Yeah... I love you guys," he rubs his right eye, trying to fight the tears.

Hyunwoo chuckles, "We love you, too, Hoseok." He gives Hoseok a kiss on the forehead before they slowly drift into a deep sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> i literally started this fic bc i love the idea of a cat named burger. next chapter of i do love you coming later this week!  
> talk to me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/shownu___) about mx and showho and all things fun! my dms are always open for any suggestions lol (o´∀`o)


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